[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 143 (Thursday, September 14, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 A SALUTE TO CLEMENT L. BUENGER: 1995 GREATER CINCINNATI BUSINESS HALL 
                            OF FAME LAUREATE

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                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 1995
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a friend and 
prominent Cincinnatian, Clement L. Buenger, who will be inducted into 
the Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame on September 20, 1995. We 
thank him for the vision and service that he has so generously given to 
the business community and the entire Greater Cincinnati area.
  Mr. Buenger began his career in 1944 with the U.S. Navy stationed in 
Manila on a Navy destroyer. He served honorably in our Nation's Armed 
Forces for 2 years. He then attended Xavier University and graduated in 
1950 with a bachelor of science in business administration.
  Mr. Buenger started his financial career with Kroger in the late 
fifties before moving to Fifth Third Bank. Mr. Buenger then worked for 
about 20 years in different positions before becoming chairman of the 
board and chief executive officer of Fifth Third in 1989. Under his 
leadership, Fifth Third became a national banking force by offering 
innovative banking products and services. During his tenure at Fifth 
Third, the bank's assets grew from $569 million in 1969 to $8.8 billion 
when he retired in 1993. Mr. Buenger blended the unique combination of 
financial, technological, and people skills that were needed to move 
Fifth Third ahead of other banks in the latest technology.
  Mr. Buenger has also brought his high caliber of leadership to many 
areas outside of Fifth Third. He headed the Cincinnati Business 
Committee's [CBC] study of the Cincinnati Public School System known as 
the Buenger Commission, which provided a long-term plan for 
revitalizing Cincinnati's public schools.
  He has given his time and talent to the Cincinnati community by 
serving on the advisory council of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater 
Cincinnati, the advisory board of the Johnny Bench Scholarship Fund, as 
well as other civic groups too numerous to mention here.
  All of us in Cincinnati congratulate Mr. Buenger for this well-
deserved recognition of his many accomplishments. We are grateful for 
all he has given to Greater Cincinnati.


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